NFL teams
Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Mike Smith, Gus Bradley to coach

NFL, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staffs have been selected to participate in the Reese's Senior Bowl later this month.

Atlanta head coach Mike Smith and his staff will coach the North team, while Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley and the staff will coach the South team. The game will be played Jan. 25 at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.

Both teams finished 4-12 in 2013, although that was certainly a surprise for the Falcons, who were considered among the preseason Super Bowl contenders. However, injuries -- especially receiver Julio Jones' season-ending ACL tear -- derailed the Falcons' season.

"We have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time at the Senior Bowl over the last six years, but this is the first time we will have the chance to coach the game," Smith said. "The week of practice provides a great opportunity to get to know these players on a personal level, but being able to coach these young men will give us the ability to work hands on with them and evaluate them."

The Jaguars were on pace to surpass the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the worst team in modern NFL history when they lost their first eight games by double digits, but the team rallied and went 4-4 in the second half of the season.

This will be Bradley's second experience at the Senior Bowl. He was the Bucs linebackers coach on Jon Gruden's staff that coached in the game in 2006.

"We are looking forward to the opportunity as a coaching staff to spend the week in Mobile and coach the Senior Bowl," Bradley said. "It's a great opportunity to be around these players in a competitive environment and see how they work throughout the week."

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